LASSE MARHAUG (Jazkamer) + MAJA RATKJE (Spunk/Fe-Mail) + LASSE MARHAUG & MAJA RATKJE (duo)

Be sure to also check out the PICA DISK (Lasse Marhaug's label) exposition that runs from 1 January to 31 January in the AB Café/Resto (Steenstraat 23).

8:00 pm - Lasse Marhaug (Jazkamer - solo)
Lasse Marhaug - better known under his moniker JAZKAMER (previously: Jazzkammer) - is the uncrowned king of the Norwegian Noise scene. It is not without reason that he's often referred to as the Norwegian Merzbow. Marhaug has been active since the 90's and has his name linked to more than 200 (!!!) releases. In ’07 he started his own label, Pica Disk, which in its short existence can already account for 30 or so releases. The first release ‘Tapes 1990-1999’ (a 4-CD box set) documented the debut years in which Marhaug released about 70 cassettes. Marhaug has already worked together with Maja Ratkje (see further), his god Merzbow, Enslaved and Sunn 0))). In 2010 Marhaug came up with the ambitious plan to release a Jazkamer album every month. When asked to explain why he did this, Marhaug dryly replied: “Because releasing an album every week is too much work.”. You're looking for points of reference? Try ‘Timex’ (from ’99, Rune Grammofon) or ‘Metal Music Machine’ (from ’06, Smalltown Supernoise) and tuck into his ‘2010 series’ that is now released every month this year.

9:00 pm - Maja Ratkje (Spunk/Fe-Mail – solo)

"Somewhere between Diamanda Galas and Joanna Newsom." ( Paris Transatlantic)
"Ratkje's vibrant vocal fluctuations can make Björk sound like an American Idol candidate." (Washington Post)
"Maja Ratkje is the female equivalent to Mike Patton - a freestyling, uninhibited, logic-defying one woman music making organism that sings with the angelic harmony of Björk at one moment and squeals like a possessed pig the next". (Boomkat)

Maja Ratkje is certainly easier than her full name MAJA SOLVEIG KJELSTRUP RATKJE. Ratkje – born in Trondheim - is a Norwegian composer/performer and mainly famed for her impressive voice. To give you an idea (in case the above quotes aren't sufficient): she once performed in Brussels as part of a festival with ‘madness’ as theme . She often performs solo but performs duo as well (with Jaap Blonk or in her band Fe-Mail) or with her regular improvisational ensemble Spunk. She has already released albums on Rune Grammofon, Noise label Pica Disk, jazz label ECM as well as John Zorn’s Tzadik label.

10:00 pm - Lasse Marhaug & Maja Ratkje (duo)
Lasse Marhaug and Maja Ratkje in duo will undoubtedly cause fireworks. They describe it themselves as ‘noise improv with vocals’. Although they say it's been a long time since they've performed together, they're not unfamiliar. The ‘Music For…’ series was released under their names, which included ‘Music For Shopping’, ‘Music For Gardening’ , ‘Music For Loving’ and ‘Music for Faking’ . The Wire on the subject: “Incredibly strange sounds and fractured, chaotic sampling. "How much noise can we make?” is one of the questions asked here, and they answer it with a Godzilla-sized blast of digital demolition that comes down hard and keeps pounding.” The Maja Ratkje album ‘Voice’ (from ’02, on Rune Grammofon) was an intensely forceful collaboration with Marhaug too. Ready for a battle of these unique talents?